One of the best things I've found is that it lets the baby explore food on his own terms. There's no pressure to eat or not to eat. It's a very relaxed approach! I must say though, I too find it a remarkably messy experience. Spaghetti bolognaise being a notable example...

Thank you for this! Baby Q turns three months old tomorrow and people keep asking me if I've started her on solids yet. What? She's THREE MONTHS OLD! Man, I'm hoping she goes nine months before being really, really interested. We'll see. Once she grabs some sweet potato off of my plate is when we'll be starting solids.

Plus, we ecologically breastfeed - so no bottles and no cereal put in those bottles. Q won't ever be eating cereals anyways.

I look at people in shock and say that no child should EVER be fed solids at this age. Oye.

I haven't done formal BLW, but I think I've basically followed it informally with my 2nd. I am so glad I did. Food is just much easier this time around. Although I've never done the puree or store bought food thing, I definitely did the 'feeding the baby' thing with my 1st, and it was such a PAIN.

Whitney: we are also a non cereal grain family, although I do let her have it when she chooses it

@Logical MOmmy@AmberI do agree that it has a very messy beginning, my daughter has been know to giver herself various natural hair treatments and facials, but now, at age two, she eats with knife and fork and hasn't worn a bib since she was one

I just found this blog and I love it! My baby is too young to start on solids but in my nannying days I practiced BLW and discovered that the degree of mess was largely dependent on what kind of food you give them. If you give them rice as it is, it would inevitably be messy, while if you mix the rice in a little egg and fry it first (making it a rice omelette I guess!) it helps to stick together and it is much easier for the child to get to their mouth and doesn't get on to the floor. It's all trial and error and a lot of common sense!

It took me until kid #3 to figure out BLW was the way to go. It is so simple, particularly when traveling. I also found it much easier to introduce a wider variety of foods than when I was doing all purees/jarred food with my girls at the same age.